Can of Snakes
by megalooch1
Summary: Jane really needs to learn to keep her big mouth shut.
1. Chapter 1

"Maura. Please. I just want to go to sleep." Detective Jane Rizzoli was familiar with a good interrogation, she's just usually the one doing the interrogating. The tall woman spun on her heels to stare her best friend down, hoping she could muster up an ounce of intimidation through her alcohol induced buzz and the day weighing heavy on her eyelids. Her mocha eyes wanted nothing more than to close for few hours, but she was a professional and she was not about to lose at her own game to the shorter woman across from her.

"Then just tell me why you said it." Challenging hazel eyes settled on the taller woman. Shifting from heel to heel, chief medical examiner Maura Isles was proof that feisty women can come in small packages. Since they left the Robber that evening she hasn't let up on the detective, her big genius brain was capable of understanding many things. Physics, anatomy, psychology, chemistry, history...but her best friend was always the one thing that stumped her. Left her without references or anecdotes. It was becoming uncomfortably familiar.

Finally breaking away from the fiery gaze, Jane shucked her jacket from her shoulders, stripped herself of her gun and badge and proceeded to get under the plush covers that had been calling to her from Maura's guest bed. Sure her own apartment was nice and her own bed was comfortable, but it was Friday night and she had the weekend off. It had become a ritual of sorts that Jane, her best friend and partners would have a few drinks after work and she'd come back to Maura's for some quality time. Sometimes that meant a movie but more often they would just talk and joke. Nights like those were favorites for Jane. But not tonight. Tonight she should have kept her big mouth shut. The sound of two small thuds and a dip in the mattress next to her let her know the ME wasn't giving up.

"You opened this can of snakes, Jane. Not me."

"Can of WORMS Maura." She closed her eyes tight. Maybe her friend was right, this sure did feel like a can of venomous snakes. Why did she say it?

_** The night was winding down and Jane was eager to leave. To have Maura to herself. That need had been growing over the past year. She just chalked it up to the multiple times they had almost lost each other. Her thin lips were spread in a smile, laughing at something Frost had said and her dark eyes were scanning the bar. Among a familiar crowd stood a man who appeared out of place, and if something didn't belong Jane didn't like it. What she really didn't like was how his predatory gaze was fixed on the petite woman standing next to her. Judging by the look on Maura's face, she had noticed the stranger well before Jane had. **_

_** Thin fingers traced the edge of a wineglass as smoky eyes stared across the bar. Jane couldn't help but roll her eyes at the exchange, trying to ignore the jealousy bubbling deep within. "See something you like, Maur?" **_

_** "I'm fairly certain his sights are much more pleasurable." Jane chortled. **_

_** "Don't hold back on the modesty much, do you?" **_

_** Two perfectly sculpted eyebrows knit together as the honey blonde spun to look at her friend. "I sense the sarcasm but I'm not sure what you're implying."**_

Uh oh_**. "Nothing, Maura. Just simply saying that you know you look good."**_

_** "It has nothing to do with what I know, Jane. My features are more symmetrical which is instantly interpreted as more attractive to a mate. Add that to how well groomed and well dressed I am, my feminine body that's perfect for mothering...it's a fact." As the self-praise ended the ME brought her wineglass to her lips and finished it off with one large swallow. Jane just focused on keeping her jaw from falling. And now those eyes were burning a hole into her own soul, stranger across the bar long forgotten, looking into her. It dawned on Jane. In those eyes she saw the doctors confidence falter, her best friend was waiting for confirmation. **_

_** Panic washed over Jane and in a fraction of a second she played every possible response through her head. She couldn't possibly tell her how she really saw her. Those words would never make it past her lips. She tried to muster up something intelligible before the sadness that started to show in her best friends eyes bubbled over. "Yeah. Sure." **_Oh crap_**. "Uh. We should get going I'm really beat. Crazy week." And with that Jane made her way through the crowd saying her goodbyes. Leaving Maura with a look of disbelief. **_

And now they were here. Jane trying to play it off and Maura trying to get to the bottom of it. Trying to find whatever hidden meaning she hoped she'd find. Jane rolled on her side and kept her eyes closed, if she could just escape into sleep it'd be ok.

Minutes passed. Janes breathing became shallow and even. Maura studied the unruly dark hair and was splayed across the pillows. _**Never play with a scientist, you'll never win**_. Judging by The small little twitch Jane had going with her leg she was just about to slip away for the night. Perfect time.

"Jane?" Maura spoke out quietly. Not wanting to bring the detective to full consciousness. She repeated the name one more time and was met with a thick raspy hum. "Do you disagree?"

"With what?"

Bingo. Right where she wants her. "You disagree that I'm attractive." She was careful to make it a statement and not a question. Knowing that even in her sleepy state the detective would defend herself, but what she didn't know was that foggy brain would only speak the truth. And response was instant.

"Not true." The sleepy woman breathed out. "Sexiest I've ever seen." Were the next words to tumble from the brunettes mouth. A self satisfied smile spread across Maura's face as she snuggled deeper into the covers and turned out the light.

The darkness did nothing to soothe the wide-eyed detective next to her.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This is my first fanfic ever, and my first piece of writing I've ever put out for others to read. So all the views, follows, favorites, and reviews are just amazing to me! Keep the reviews coming, let me know what y'all think!**

**And since I just figured out how to work this whole site, I'll add the disclaimer now that I do not own a single bit of these wonderful characters.**

Saturday mornings were the only mornings Jane would admit to loving. She was allowed to revel in the limbo between sleeping and consciousness. That time when everything is just a little more soft, a little more warm, and every stretch of a muscle feels like the first stretch you've had in years. Lifting her lean arms above her head Jane begins her stretching routine only to be held in place by a weight across her legs. Blinking her eyes open for the first time she checks her surroundings. Maura's guest bedroom. Maura's guest bed. Maura. _**MAURA**_.

The previous nights events began to flood the detectives head and she recalled everything. Every word she said. Every. Word. She wasn't even sure whether the smaller woman remembered her drowsy confession, so she made a decision to play it off as if she didn't remember either. Good plan, Jane. Now she just needed to escape from under smooth appendage that's been taunting her since she opened her eyes. Slowly, tactfully, she extricated herself from the doctors heavenly grip and headed towards the kitchen.

A short while later two hazel eyes began to spring to life. After checking the empty space next to her Maura checked the clock. 9:34 am blinked back at her. Since when did Jane ever get up before her? After a quick shower and changing from the previous evenings dress, the ME dressed in her Saturday yoga pants and BPD sweatshirt and made her way to the kitchen. Two cups of coffee sat on the counter next to the tousled detective who was greeting her best friend with a minty fresh smile.

"Good morning sleepy head." The raspy voice cut through the silence.

"This certainly is a first, isn't it?" Maura said with a warm smile as she took her first sip of coffee. "You managed to work the espresso machine I see?" One light eyebrow cocked over the rim of her mug.

"You had it set to brew at 9 am." Jane said through a chuckle.

_**Ok. Things aren't awkward. Maura seems relaxed. No mention of anything that had happened last night. We're good.**_

Jane pushed her unruly dark curls from her face with her free hand as she cradled her mug with the other. "What do you want to do today, Maur?"

Maura thought for a few long moments, chewing on her lower lip as she did. Jane couldn't help but smile as she watched, it was almost like she could see each gear turn deep within that big, beautiful brain. Jane snapped out of her thoughts the moment she saw the proverbial lightbulb shine almost as bright as Maura's smile. "I want to go shopping."

"No." Jane said evenly, biting back a whine.

"Come on. It's beautiful out, we can enjoy a leisurely stroll that just so happens to take place on a street with a lot of little boutiques and shops. You can benefit from the cardiovascular workout and I can satisfy my need for shopping. I win. You win." She said matter-of-factly, using the same tone she uses when she delivers a cause of death.

Despite the logic the doctor presented Jane couldn't help her foot from stomping and the whine that finally made its way past her lips. "I hate shopping!"

"You walk and talk. I'll walk and shop." Maura stared her friend down. "Jane, we always do what you want to do on Saturdays." This warranted a snort from the taller woman. "We play softball, we go to Red Sox games, we watch 'McGyver' marathons. Can this Saturday be mine? Pleeeease?" The blonde finished with a pout so big Jane felt every defense she had crumble. With a resigned huff there was an answer.

"Fine. But we're NOT shopping for me!" Her voice rumbled but Maura was already out of the kitchen, skipping past a disinterested Bass and on her way to change.

Six hours, two meals, one snack, and countless shops later, the two women find themselves back at the house. One woman willingly accepting a warm hug from a comfy couch while the other tore through her bags with excitement. Beer in hand, Jane just watched as Maura recounted each purchase, describing how each outfit will look when put together. Halfway through the bags Jane's attention slowly shifted to the TV, catching all the scores and calculating where the Sox were ranking. She was still aware of the comforting voice, just not as aware of the words it was forming until one word in particular brought her attention back to the present. _Sexy_. It was a word often used when describing an outfit, but now it had double meaning for the detective.

_**Did Maura just say "sexy"?**_

Turning her her head towards the mountain of bags, Jane missed the opportunity to read her friend's face and was instead greeted by her retreating backside. _**It's just a word. Calm down. She's gonna realize something's up if you jump every time she says it.**_

"Jane?" A small voice called out from a bedroom.

The lanky form on the couch sprung up, almost too eagerly, trying to get away from her own thoughts. Jane froze as soon as she approached the threshold. What she saw in front of her caused her breath to hitch.

Maura stood with her back to the door, golden waves caressing bare shoulders being exposed by the strapless form fitting red dress the doctor was modeling. Every curve was highlighted beautifully, her toned legs were on display in the most dangerous way. _**Damn**_. Jane's mouth went dry as she took in each inch of her best friend. The petite woman circled once before coming around to face Jane fully. "What do you think?" she asked eagerly, excited by the look on the other woman's face.

"Um.." Jane stumbled through the door, trying to drag herself back to the reality of the moment. This wasn't a music video with fog and a spotlight showing off a model for you to drool over. This was her best friend asking for an opinion. She could handle this. _**I need to handle this**_. "Very nice."

"Very nice? Jane this is Dior." Judging by the blank stare she was receiving, Maura knew the name was lost on Jane. Allowing her hands to drop and feel the fabric that was stretched across her torso she couldn't help but purr. "It feels like it was made just for me!" Normally Jane would find this amusing, the way her google-mouthed doctor best friend would act more like a 16-year-old when it came to clothes, but not this time. She was more distracted by the heat that crept up her face at the thought of her hands feeling the taut material. _**Oh God**_. She began her slow retreat.

"It's beautiful, Maur, really. Uh-" Jane looked around, trying to come up with an excuse to leave. "I gotta go..." The sad look in Maura's eye hadn't gone unnoticed by the detective before she finished. "Ma could only check on Jo a couple times today, I have to go make sure she didn't get in any trouble. I'll talk to you later." And with that Jane was gathering her keys and making her way to the door, Maura on her heels.

"Ok. I understand. Thank you for being patient today. I had a lot of fun." Maura smiled at her fleeing friend.

Jane's face softened as she turned back to Maura. "Me too. Believe it or not." They both laughed. The sound brought the taller woman's attention to the full lips that were the source. Dragging her dark gaze back up she said her goodbye and made her way, unsteadily, to her cruiser.

As her tall frame settled behind the wheel her phone beeped signaling she had a new message. From Maura. Opening the message she didn't even try to fight the groan it caused.

**"I think the dress makes me look SEXY. What did you think?" **


	3. Chapter 3

There were many ways Jane could have handled the situation. She could have responded to the message with a simple answer. She could have played it off and changed the subject. She could have even faced her feelings and told Maura exactly what she thought about that dress. _That damn dress_. That red dress is all she saw when she closed her eyes. Every time she would rub her palms it had nothing to do with pain or scars, it's because her hands were still itching to touch that dress and the body it hugged so tightly. Sure, there were many ways for detective Rizzoli to handle this, so many mature ways. Which is why she was still unsure of why she chose the path she had. Avoidance seemed like the obvious choice at the time. But now as her car crawled closer to the station on Monday morning, Jane was painfully aware of the error in her ways.

With the way she kept checking over her shoulder as she got a cup of coffee you'd think she was one of the criminals in the building, not a highly regarded detective. The only thing that managed to look more suspicious than the looks is how high Jane jumped when her name was called across the cafe.

"JANIE!" Angela Rizzoli called out with excitement. "I haven't heard from you in awhile, I was beginning think you finally ran away."

"Good morning, Ma." Jane gave her mother a quick kiss on the cheek. "Clearly I'm still here." She said with a forced smile as she handed her mother money and made her way to the elevators. _Just a few more steps and I'll be-_

"Is everything alright Jane? You seem skittish this morning." Jane turned slowly to face her mother.

"Of course Ma, just had a slow weekend. It's taking a bit to wake my brain up". Right hand on the elevator button and the left holding her coffee high. "This should do the trick." Smirk in place Jane stepped onto the elevator and let loose the breath she was holding as the door slid closed.

Being a homicide detective didn't mean Jane liked investigating murder. She hated murder. Probably more than most. She was faced with dark side of humanity on a daily basis. Fighting the monsters most people only heard about on the news. It was always a nice break when they didn't have a case, a peaceful time to catch up on paperwork, cleanup, or trash can basketball. But today all Jane wanted was a fresh case to distract her.

Frost and Korsak kept the conversation flowing, Jane was only aware of the continuous hum their voices provided. It was an appropriate soundtrack to the thoughts buzzing around in her head.

_You're gonna have to face Maura sooner or later. What are you gonna do?_

Korsak's voice and the obvious amusement it held pulled Jane from her musings. "Jane? What do you think?"

She shook her head of wild curls, trying to shake the webs of Maura free. "Huh-what? Think about what?"

"She wasn't listening." Frost chimed in, earning a glare from Jane.

"I was saying how we should get a drink after work. Celebrate such a boring shift with some excitement."

"What kind of excitement could possibly be taking place on a Monday night at the Robber." Jane threw the thought out there not even bothering to make it a question.

Never one to let the perfect opening slip away, Frost answered. "He's an old man whose love life is summed up by 3 divorces. Any night at a bar is an exciting one for Vince." Frost's eyes held a sparkle as they met the older brown ones across the room. He was ready for battle, but to his disappointment, Korsak was not.

"He's right Jane, I'll take whatever I can get." That caused Jane's lips to turn up for the first time since Saturday evening. This helped her realize how silly she was being. A drink after work with the guys and then she'll figure out her way around the Maura situation. After all, she was beginning to miss her search engine best friend.

Two hours later the partners cozied up in a booth with cold bottles in each pair of hands. The silence was comfortable and not one word was forced between the three. Jane truly enjoyed moments like this, a silent understanding of the job and the respect of letting go of the stress after shift. Things were really beginning to look up when Jane heard the familiar click of designer heels approach from behind her. _This is why I always face the door. Avoid ambush. _

"Good evening boys. Jane." Maura said with a tilt of her head. Surveying the seating arrangements, boys seemed to be on one side, leaving the other for the girls. Jane froze as Maura's weight settled in next to her. The subtle spice of her perfume making her nostrils flair shortly after the doctor was seated.

"Alright! The doctor made it, now the night is complete!" Frost said with palpable excitement as he rose from the table. "This round is on me." He turned to Maura. "Your usual?" Jane couldn't help but let a chuckle escape at the mention of the ME's usual. The Robber wasn't known for its wine selection.

"Actually Barry I'll take a beer this time. Last time the wine was too chalky."

"Any preference, Doc?"

"I'll have what Jane's having." The smaller woman turned to face her booth-mate, warm green eyes searching deep brown.

"You got it." Frost disappeared towards the bar just as Maura turned her attention to the eldest detective, striking up conversation about their lack of a case. Sure, the Chief Medical Examiner of the Common Wealth of Massachusetts always had her plate full, or rather her slab occupied, but it was a topic she knew would start up the flow of conversation.

One round turned to a few and the group found the clock approaching midnight a little too quickly. Jane was impressed by how normal the evening went on. Maybe she overreacted. Maura seemed normal. Perfect even. They had shared several friendly jabs, lingering eye contact, and more than a few casual touches. If Maura was uncomfortable with Jane's sleepy confession it would have been obvious by now. The ME couldn't lie in word or action. Maura had her fun and now things were back to normal. _Thank God._

Frost was the first to rise, "Ok ladies, it's time for us to call it a night. It's well past Korsak's bedtime."

"I'm pretty sure you're the one with a bedtime, Junior." Korsak slapped the young detective on the back and said his goodbyes. Minutes later Jane found herself alone with her best friend.

"One more, or time to call it quits?" If it were possible Jane was sure her voice seemed lower than usual. Maybe she should stay away from another drink.

Without even answering Maura was already ordering two more and back soon after. "Last one. It is Monday after all." She said, settling in across from Jane with a smirk playing on her full lips as she slid the bottle into long expecting fingers.

"Fair enough." The smirk must have been contagious because it was now dancing across Jane's lips. As she took a long pull on her beer she locked her eyes on Maura as the other woman mirrored her own actions. The doctor was the first to break the silence.

"So. Jane. What did you do with the rest of your weekend?"

Thankfully the amount of alcohol Jane consumed allowed her to keep calm when her friend mentioned the weekend. "Not much at all. Turned off the phones and just relaxed. It's been a while since I just sat with my own thoughts. It's was nice." As Jane finished she noticed Maura shifting uneasily. Looking in the direction of the medical examiners gaze she noticed two men eyeing their table.

"Are you familiar with the term 'beer goggles' Jane?" With a small laugh Jane nodded her head yes.

"I'm surprised YOU are."

"There was a study done that proved it's true. After two or three drinks test subjects found originally unattractive people considerably more appealing." A dangerous smile was beginning to light up her already glowing face. "Is it beer goggles Jane? Or do you always think I'm sexy?"

There was no holding back the beer that sputtered its way past Jane's lips. Choking on the last bubbles that were burning her throat she looked up to meet the teasing eyes that never wavered. "Maur, can you please just drop this?"

"Drop what, detective?" If Maura's voice alone could seduce Jane, this is the tone she would use.

"Just forget I ever said it." The tall lanky woman began fidgeting in her seat.

"Said what?" Maura was playing now. She had waited so long to be able to get under Jane's skin and knowing she was there. The officer sitting across from the petite woman had made herself at home under her very own skin for over a year now and she needed to know if the feeling was mutual. Looking at her friend expectedly, she risked pushing too hard and asked again, gently. "Well?"

Jane's heart was pounding and she could feel the sweat developing on her brow. _When did they turn the heat on in here?_ She looked into the trusting eyes that were upon her, trying to read her every thought. Could she tell her? Could she allow herself to open up, show that side of her that could change their relationship forever. The words were on the tip of her tongue but panic won out and she stood abruptly from the table and looked down at the smaller woman. "Forget what I said!" She spat, words full of venom as she turned and made her way out the door and into the chilly evening. Leaving a shaken, wounded Maura in her wake.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Last chapter y'all! Hope I tied this up with a pretty bow that the readers will like.** **All my past reviews were wonderful and any for this chapter will be delightful. Writing my first fanfic was fun, and having so many favorite/followers made it all the more sweet. I'm already thinking up my next story! **

**Also, I still don't own any characters and such. **

Maura knew it was easy to agitate the sensitive detective. Even referring to Jane as sensitive would agitate her. But the doctor hadn't expected such a reaction out of her best friend that night. Sure she was a little clueless when it came to the intricacies of social interactions but she thought she had just been playful, teasing. Something Jane herself did on a daily basis. _**I guess I still have quite a bit to learn.**_ Putting the thought of her continued education aside, Maura rose from the booth and made her graceful exit. She had to make this right, and fast.

A few stops and a short drive later Maura found herself outside Jane's apartment fidgeting nervously. After a deep breath her delicate hand finally managed a quiet knock. A few moments passed before she heard any movement on the other side. When the door finally opened the sight on the other side caused the doctors breath to hitch.

Jane stood before her fresh from the shower, her hair still wet. Each ringlet was more pronounced and was shining as if encased in diamonds. The black tank top she was wearing was wonderfully form fitting and left nothing to the imagination. Under the thin material the ME couldn't indicate anything but strong muscle. _**She's so beautiful and she has no idea.**_ It took her a moment to gather herself and grow confident that she would be capable of a coherent sentence. Deep brown eyes were staring at her, they were full curiosity and still held a hint of anger.

Confidence wavering, Maura cleared her throat. "May I come in?" She wouldn't allow her voice to beg but she couldn't stop it from shining in her eyes.

Jane took a moment to evaluate her friend. She could tell Maura wasn't there to push or fight. Judging by the six pack of her favorite beer in her hand, the doctor was here to apologize. "Sure." Jane stepped aside and let Maura in. They walked to the kitchen in silence, Jane took the beer from her friend, nodding in thanks.

"I wanted to apologize, Jane. I thought I was being playful and teasing but I see now that I wasn't. I'm sorry for upsetting you or making you uncomfortable. I was flattered by your initial assessment of me and I should have just left it at that." Hazel eyes roamed the room as she prayed that the normal comfort level would soon return between them. She wasn't sure of why Jane was being so silent but she took it as a sign to open a beer and make herself busy.

Jane drank her beer in silence, watching her friend as she picked at the label on her bottle with perfectly manicured nails. It was clear that Maura was nervous, but was it as clear to Maura how nervous Jane was? She thought about everything her and her best friend had been through: dangerous cases, near death experiences, heartbreak, and love. Hell, she even shot herself and Maura's father. A small smirk pulled at the corner of Jane's mouth as she realized that if their friendship grew stronger through all that, nothing would break it easily.

"I should be the one apologizing, Maura." She blurted out before losing nerve.

"No Jane," the ME interrupted, "I pushed you and I shouldn't have done that. It's completely understandable that you're angry with me."

Jane took a deep breath, trying to calm the nerves she could feel dancing inside. "I'm not mad at you. For anything. I'm mad at myself. I should have never told you that you're sexy."

Maura looked back at her friend, searching the warm brown eyes she always found the truth in. She meant it. Hurt flashed across Maura's face as she accepted Jane's apology and realized how all of this was so ridiculous in the first place. Of course she'd never feel the same. She pushed herself off the spot on the counter she had been leaning and began making her way to the door.

"It's getting late. I'm sorry to keep you up." The blonde started to make her way to the door, only to be held in place by slim fingers around her wrist.

"I should have told you that you're the most beautiful person I've ever seen. 'Sexy' is a cheap compliment for someone as breathtaking as you." The raspy voice confessed without a quiver. She was confident in her words, she was just scared at what would happen after they were spoken.

"Jane..." Maura said in quiet whisper as she turned to meet the other woman's gaze. What she saw took her breath away. Tears were shining in the kind eyes that were finally smiling at her.

"I was mad because it took a sleepy confession to finally tell you how I feel, and I even screwed that up by taking something worth a million bucks and offering 50 cents to describe it." The strong hand finally eased on the smaller woman's wrist to slide it down and intertwine their fingers. The taller woman stepped forward, closing the distance between their vastly different bodies. "Maura, if I'm gonna risk our friendship with confessions, I wanna do it ri-" The well rehearsed speech she had planned was cut short by full, soft lips pressed against her own.

Time seemed to stand still as the two women explored this new territory. Fingers were tangled in honey blonde hair and smaller hands were caressing strong abdominal muscles. As Maura dug her nails slightly into Jane's firm flesh a small moan escaped the detectives lips, granting a bubble gum tongue access to a new area to taste. The kissing showed no signs of stopping until air was necessary. Breaking apart, one forehead rested against the other. Both faces were flushed, breathing was labored, and one wide grin matched the other shy one.

"I guess we should talk about this." The doctor stated, trying to be the rational one even though her head was in an arousal induced fog.

"I think we're doing a fine job without using our words." Jane said, feeling the ME's body shake against her as she laughed.

"I'm sorry Jane, I was rude and interrupted you."

"It was a wonderful interruption though."

"Well, yes, but it was rude and you should finish your confession while you're not in a state of hypnagogia." Maura looked up at her best friend with a gentle smile, making no move to separate their bodies.

"I'm not even gonna ask what that means and just assume it has something to do with sleep." After the honey blonde head nodded in confirmation, Jane raised her hands to cup Maura's face and look her into her eyes. Everything she saw there felt like home and she knew she wanted to stare into those eyes for the rest of her life. "My confession for you, Dr. Maura Dorthea Isles, is that I love you."

Tears fought to escape as Maura wrapped her arms around Jane's neck and brought her lips closer to her own. Before she kissed the smiling mouth, she whispered her own confession against those lips. "I love you too, Jane won'tsayyourmiddlename Rizzoli. I think I've always loved you." And the new lovers lips met, never yielding in their attacks as time was lost on them. Neither of them caring if they were too tired to make it to work on time in the morning.


End file.
